Hi there

This week you’ll explore the often overlooked yet crucial aspect of recognising and harnessing your strengths to start to unlock your full potential.

We live in a world where self-improvement and self-development is highly valued, but it is equally important to acknowledge and capitalise on our existing skills and qualities which make us unique.

Understanding our strengths allows us to thrive in various areas of life, whether it be our career, relationships, or personal growth.

Unfortunately, many people tend to focus more on their weaknesses rather than their strengths.

However, understanding and leveraging your strengths can have a significant impact on your overall success and happiness.

What are strengths?

A surprising way to consider strengths is to think of them as being something which energises you. What gets your blood pumping? What activities do you absolutely love to do?

Here’s another surprising twist. You don’t have to be good at an energising activity. It can still be a valid strength if it energises you. That energy pays real dividends for your overall mental and physical wellbeing.

For example, I can’t sing a note, but I love singing out loud in the shower and/or the car. Therefore, singing out loud in the shower and/or the car is a strength because it makes me feel good and I enjoy doing it.

Not sure about anyone close enough to hear me - you’d have to ask them 🙂

Of course, if you have a skill at which you excel and you also absolutely adore doing it then that is a super-strength imho.

So, how can you recognise your strengths?

Here are a few ideas to consider:

Deep self-reflection

Take some time for introspection and identify activities or tasks that you excel at or genuinely enjoy doing. What comes naturally to you? What energises you? These are often indicators of your strengths. Keep an "energy" journal over a period of a few months to get a good sense of where you’re really at.

Consider keeping your "energy" journal going after the experiment. It may help you identify any unexpected or unnoticed long-term patterns.

Seek feedback

Reach out to trusted friends, family members, colleagues or a coach/mentor who can provide an objective perspective on your strengths.

They may have insights into your abilities that you may not have considered or noticed.

Ask yourself some great questions

What sets you apart from others in your field or what unique qualities you bring to a team? What skills do others always come to you for advice or assistance with? When do you find yourself smiling from ear to ear?

Once you have identified your strengths, it’s important to leverage them effectively:

Maximise opportunities

Look for ways to apply your strengths in different aspects of your life. For example, if you excel at problem-solving and you really enjoy it, take on projects that allow you to showcase this skill. By aligning your activities with your strengths, you will feel more fulfilled and engaged.

Keep seeking growth and development

While it’s crucial to embrace your existing strengths, don’t shy away from further developing them. Seek opportunities to enhance your skills through workshops, courses, mentorship programs or self-study. Continuous improvement will only amplify your strengths.

Collaborate with others

Recognising your strengths doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. Try to build strong relationships with individuals who possess complementary skills. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. By combining forces, you might achieve even greater results together.

Over to you

Remember, recognising and utilising your strengths is NOT about becoming the best at everything and being better than everyone else.

It IS about becoming the best and most fulfilled version of you you can be.

Hopefully that's offered you some food for thought.

All the very best to you and yours

Andrew D Pope.